[News] Drama, Movies, Actors & Actresses

rubie · May 11, 2010

May 11, 2010

Rain to hold autograph signing sessions in Seoul tomorrow

Reporter.Lynn Kim Editor.Jessica Kim

Korean entertainer Rain [Asia Economic Daily]

Asian superstar Rain will be meeting his fans at an autograph signing session in Seoul tomorrow, according to his agency on Tuesday.

J. Tune Entertainment announced in a press release that the singer will show up at three major record stores -- Music Korea in Myung-dong district, I-Park Shinara in Yongsan and Kyobo Hottracks in Gangnam area -- on Wednesday and sign autographs for fans.

The agency explained that it was Rain's idea to hold the event as he wanted to come in closer contact with his fans and also help ignite album sales for the local music market. Offline record sales in Korea has taken a huge hit ever since digital downloading emerged over ten years ago. The multi-talented entertainer, who recently made a splashing comeback with his latest album "Back To The Basic," has been sweeping numerous music charts with his ballad single "Love Song."

Born Jung Ji-hoon, Rain has released six studio albums to date and performed at numerous concert tours throughout Asia and in the U.S. including a sold-out concert at Madison Square Garden. The singer carried his popularity and talents over to acting, appearing in several hit TV series such as "Sang Doo! Let's Go To School" (KBS, 2003) and "Full House" (KBS, 2004) and making his big screen debut in Park Chan-wook's surrealist comedy pic "I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK."

In 2008, Rain made his Hollywood debut through a supporting role in the Wachowski Brothers' pic "Speed Racer." The Korean star reportedly made such a great impression on the famous sibling duo that they offered him the lead role in last year's martial arts flick "Ninja Assassin."

While the movie bombed at the U.S. and local box office, his top billing in the film brought the Korean star international recognition and stardom worldwide.

rubie · May 11, 2010

May 11, 2010

Korean War resurrected onscreen

By Lee Hyo-won, Han Sang-hee

Staff reporters

From left, Choi Seung-hyun (T.O.P.), Kwon Sang-woo, Kim Seung-woo and Cha Seung-won

in the poster for the Korean War (1950-53) movie "71-Into the Gunfire,'' which is due in theaters

in mid-June in the time for the 60th anniversary of the conflict. The film was inspired by the true story

of 71 South Korean boy soldiers who fought against the North Korean armed forces. / Courtesy of Lotte Entertainment

The Korean War (1950-53) has unfortunately been dubbed "The Forgotten War'' overseas, but for Koreans the deep scar it left behind is still sorely felt. In time for the 60th anniversary of the outbreak of the conflict, domestic movies and television series are zooming in on the human tragedy to provide drama, action and some history lessons.

Big screen

Currently showing in theaters or due for release are films highlighting specific incidents during wartime and its aftermath.

Released last month, "A Little Pond'' sheds light upon the No Gun Ri massacre, in which American soldiers shot to death South Korean refugees in Nogun-ri, North Chungcheong Province, in July 1950. Reports of the number of casualty varies, ranging between 150, according to a South Korean military report, to 400, as cited by the Associated Press, and in 2001 then-U.S. President Bill Clinton issued a statement of regret.

The film brings together big names in the local theater and screen industries, such as Moon Sung-keun and Shin Myoung-cheol, and top movie stars Song Kang-ho, Moon So-ri and Yu Hae-jin make special appearances.

New in theaters is "Daehan Minguk Il Peosenteu'' (Republic of Korea 1 Percent). Though set in modern times, the marine story serves as a reminder of the fact that the Korean Peninsula embodies the remnants of the Cold War ― it remains divided and still technically at war since a peace treaty with North Korea was never signed. And so, South Korean men are drafted for mandatory military service and the Marine Corps is reputed as being the toughest branch of the armed forces.

The movie takes an up-close and personal account of local marine life with a touch of "G.I. Jane,'' as Lee Ah-i stars as the first woman to pass training in first place and struggles to lead her teammates. It's about bonding over sweat and tears, and the actors actually underwent some excruciating training sessions. The film bears more significance as some 46 sailors recently lost their lives in the tragic sinking of the naval vessel Cheonan, and that it is being released posthumously for its late director Cho Myung-nam.

In time for the June 25 anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War comes one of the summer's much anticipated blockbusters "71-Into the Fire.'' The star-studded cast includes member of the K-pop group Big Bang T.O.P, also known as Choi Seung-hyun, hallyu star Kwon Sang-woo, popular screen personality Kim Seung-woo and model-turned-actor Cha Seung-won.

The 11.3 billion won ($8 million) production is based on the true story of 71 teenagers who were drafted as boy soldiers to ward off North Korean forces at the Nakdong River border in August 1950. "The Korean War is one of the greatest tragedies of the 20th century,'' director John H. Lee told reporters in Seoul, Monday. "It marks the separation of a people, of family and friends. North Koreans are first and foremost people and even though the North and South were fighting conflicting ideologies, I wanted to show the human side of everyone.''

When asked about how he feels about the influx of projects about the Korean War, Lee said that his film stands apart in that it will be released in time for June 25. "The cast is great,'' he said. "But moreover I wanted to show war as it is, in a transparent manner, without drawing a special line.''The film is making headlines for casting T.O.P in the lead role. "The movie brims with humanism, and dared me to crave the part. It made someone from the young generation like myself think about the honorable sacrifice,'' the 22-year-old said shyly. "It was a great honor to be a part of this project. Everyday was like a journey in a learning playground,'' he said. Kim Seung-woo, who co-starred with the singer in his acting debut piece, ``Iris,'' complimented the younger star.

"The audience will be beyond impressed (by his performance). When Seung-hyun (T.O.P) was shooting 'IRIS' he had no experience and had to play a rather stilted character, so it made onlookers feel uncomfortable. But this time, he really lived and breathed the part as he stayed in character during the course of the production… It made me wonder how I would have acted when I was his age.''

Kwon, who returns as a married father, wears a high school uniform alongside T.O.P at the age of 33. "I was almost not cast for the role because of my age,'' he said. "Sang-woo is closer to me and Cha Seung-won in terms of age so we were a bit worried, but when we previewed the film he actually looks younger than (T.O.P). Besides, movies starring Sang-woo in a school uniform all did well in the box office,'' said Kim. 'I think I have matured in many ways during the past two years, including the way I look at scripts. There are scripts that don't leave your mind. I have great confidence in our movie; after the sinking of the Cheonan, I looked at the pictures of each and every one of the late marines, and read the articles. It made me cry, and I think it's because we are South Korean. Though the movie is a bit different I think we can all sympathize with the situation,'' said Kwon.

Cha, who plays the role of a coldhearted North Korean soldier, said "It's the 60th anniversary of the Korean War. It's a great honor to take part of this movie, and I hope that the drama speaks to the audience.'' The film is slated for release mid-June. Distributed by Lotte Entertainment.

Small Screen

MBC and KBS have emotional and exhilarating tales about the Korean War coming next month.

MBC's "Road No. 1'' offers a star-studded cast featuring So Ji-seop, Kim Ha-neul and singer-turned-actor Yoon Kye-sang. But the broadcaster's emphasis is on the storyline and backdrop. "The drama is about friendship, comrades and a love story that spans over 60 years,'' the broadcaster said through a press release.

The drama focuses on the relationships between Lee Jang-woo (played by So), Shin Tae-ho (played by Yoon) and Kim Soo-yeon (played by Kim) its three main characters. Lee and Kim are in love, but the Korean War tears them apart. Lee promises his love to Kim and spends every day in combat thinking of her. Meanwhile, Kim spends her time helping injured soldiers as a doctor, and eventually bumps into the handsome and generous officer Shin. Kim, who believes that Lee had died in combat, finally decides to leave the past behind her and marry Shin. When Shin is sent to war in a command role, he discovers that Lee is not only alive, but is in fact counting the days until he can return home and reunite with his lover. The war may have caused a heartbreaking and uncomfortable situation, but it's what actually ties the three characters together.

"Road No. 1'' will finish filming right before the actual airing, which is scheduled for June. Filming started early this year in January, with the crew searching for perfect spots for marching, explosions and combat scenes all over Gangwon Province. In order to bring real and raw footage of soldiers in combat, the crew had to go very deep into the mountains. The grueling winter weather didn't help either. "There's nothing really to say but 'it was freezing.''We tried so many different things to get warm, but it was just too cold,'' So said. Aside from the weather, So added that looking at the photos and papers regarding the war of six decades ago motivated him to do his best. As for her role, Kim Ha-neul said, "She's not just a character, but she represents all the women who had to go through the sad, difficult times of war."

The drama had a 13 billion won budget and is expected to remind older generations of the hope that remained amid the treacherous times in Korean history while the younger generations can reflect on the hardships that their parents and the country experienced. Alongside MBC's "Road No.1,'' KBS is presenting "Comrade'' (working title), a remake of the popular television soap that aired in 1975.

The 20-episode series stars veteran actor Choi Su-jong, who will play a South Korean commander who finds out that his girlfriend has defected to North Korea and became a commissioned officer in its army. "We are hoping to bring the message of anti-war and peace through the sacrifice made by so many soldiers,'' producer Kim Hyeong-il said.

The original version of the drama was a big hit in the 1970s, starring actor La Shi-chan. The actor unfortunately passed away in the middle of filming and fellow actor Song Jae-ho had to wrap up the hit series. Another version of the series was aired in 1983. "Instead of focusing on the ideologies of South and North Korea, the drama will be about ordinary people who had to go through the war, similar to the U.S. series `Band of the Brothers' or the film 'Saving Private Ryan,''' Kim added.

With a budget of 8 billion won, "Comrade'' will also start airing next month.

Credits: sanghee@koreatimes.co.krhyowlee@koreatimes.co.kr

rubie · May 11, 2010

May 11, 2010

TOP says lived as 17-year-old for 6 months for "Fire"

Reporter.Lee Ji-Hye Photographer.Lee Jin-hyuk Editor.Jessica Kim

From left, actors Kim Seung-woo, T.O.P (Choi Seung-hyun), Kwon Sang-woo and Cha Seung-won

pose during a photo session of a press conference for film "Into Fire" held at Imperial Palace Hotel

in Seoul, South Korea on May 10, 2010. [Lee Jin-hyuk/10Asia]

In August of 1950, when the Korean War was well under way, a letter was found in the pocket of student soldier Lee Woo-geun who died while fighting in a battle to defend the Nakdong River. The letter, which the 16-year-old had failed to send off to his mother, read the following: "Mother, I killed a person. It was such a brutal death. Why do we have to go into war? I'm thinking frightening thoughts. I wish the war would end quickly and feel your warm embrace." Film "Into Fire" starts with this letter.

What leads the film is not its blockbuster scale which cost the production 11.3 billion won, nor its extravagant cast. The camera operates in order to shed light onto the existence of student soldiers who took part in the meaningless war yet have failed to be remembered for their sacrifice. Their young lives, which in vain were used as human shields on the battlefields of a war which in itself in a tragedy, deepens the scar left by the incident. "Into Fire" satisfies its name as a war movie with its grand-scale battle scenes but will it also manage to draw on the tragedy of the Korean War which is our nation's pain? The film, produced to pay tribute to the 60th anniversary of the Korean War, is set for release on June 17. Below are excerpts from the press conference attended by director Lee Jae-han and actors Cha Seung-won, Choi Seung-hyun (TOP), Kwon Sang-woo and Kim Seung-woo.

T.O.P (Choi Seung-hyun) [Lee Jin-hyuk/10Asia]

Q: As much as it is a war film, there are a particularly high number of battle and exploding scenes. You all looked so worn out in the behind-the-scenes footage -- to the extent that it seemed that you must resent the director.

Cha Seung-won: What was most difficult was fighting against the cold. Filming started in late November so we shot the most important scenes when it was the coldest. I personally didn't have to engage in any exploding scenes so I wasn't threatened physically. I think I rather didn't have such a hard time because I invested a lot of time to talk with the director in figuring out my character and his situation.

Kim Seung-woo: I had a fundamental trust in the director and you probably know by looking at the footage but I'm satisfied because it shows how hard he worked. We had a hard time keeping up with him because he sleeps very little and has strong physical strength. (laugh)

Q: Cha Seung-won, you took on the role of the bad guy again, like you did in your previous film "Blades of Blood."

Cha: Coincidentally, I'll be playing the bad guy three times in a row after I shoot TV series "Athena" next. My role as Park Moo-ryang for "Into Fire" is the chief of the enemy so we won't be beautifying him but I think he will be shown as someone who was sacrificed in a war and how he had no choice but to let it happen as a soldier.

Choi Seung-hyun: He played the bad guy but Cha, as well as Kim, always took such good care of me on set. I did become a bit terrified though because Cha would occasionally appear in my dreams looking scary. (laugh)

Cha Seung-won [Lee Jin-hyuk/10Asia]

Q: I heard that you worked out a lot because you worked with some of the actors who have the best physique in this industry.

Cha: There was nothing else to do in the area that we shot, rather than us having worked out because we like to. (laugh) It would be around 7 p.m. when we wrap up shoot everyday but the sun would have already gone down so we had no choice but to work out.

Kwon Sang-woo: Even I couldn't be bothered to work out but Cha would go all the way to Daegu city and back to work out -- that's how enthusiastic he is when it comes to working out.

Cha: The gym where we were at would close on Sunday. (laugh) I would go to Daegu because I didn't have anything else to do.

Q: In the preview shown today, it was impressive how Kim walked so undauntedly despite a bridge behind him exploding.

Kim: I was actually scared. The sound of the explosion was bigger than I thought it would be and it didn't look too bad on screen but it was very cold when we shot the screen and I was wearing short sleeves, so I had goosebumps and was scared at the time. (laugh) Every exploding scene after that was like war and hell.

Kwon Sang-woo [Lee Jin-hyuk/10Asia]

Q: Kwon Sang-woo, this is the first time in a while that you got to wear a school uniform for a movie. You're even the same age as Choi Seung-hyun in the film. (laugh)

Kwon: I almost wasn't cast for the movie because of my age. (laugh) My character Koo Kap-jo is assigned to a squadron for student soldiers as he chooses to take part in the war instead of being sent to a Youth Detention Center. He distresses Oh Jang-bum (played by Choi Seung-hyun) as he tries to motivate him to become squadron leader.

Kim: Me and Cha were worried a lot when Kwon was cast. Because he's closer to our age now. (laugh) But I saw on the monitor how he would actually look younger than Choi at times. (laugh) He's the right man for the part and like he himself says, there is no movie where he has worn a school uniform but hasn't done well, so we're looking forward to how "Into Fire" will do too.

Q: Kwon Sang-woo and Choi Seung-hyun, you fight each other a lot too in the movie. Wasn't it uncomfortable having to shoot the scene up against a senior?

Choi: I was able to learn because he was always teaching me a lot and he would help me relax when I'm nervous. It felt as if I was shooting those actions scenes with a martial arts director because he gave off the vibe of an expert.

Kwon: I think Choi must have had a hard time. It was his first time launching his acting career through a movie but he had the most scenes to shoot, his character had to lead on the story, and plus, he had to show both action and emotional acting in a single production. He would always have on a blank look when I arrive on set. (laugh) But I'm proud of him because he did a great job of pulling of his role.

Lee Jae-han: Many people were worried in the beginning because acting isn't his profession. But I felt a strong energy from Choi, he had a good sense and I liked his sensitivity. I had faith in him and we talked a lot while working together. You'll be able to feel it when you see the finished product.

Kim Seung-woo [Lee Jin-hyuk/10Asia]

Q: The atmosphere on set must have been great because all the actors are cheerful people.

Cha: I did a movie with Kim in 2002 and I've personally known Kwon for about nine years now. I met Choi for the first time this time around but everyone has such different personalities. Kim fulfilled his role as the oldest guy on set with his wittiness and Kwon looks like he would be full of energy because of the images he has portrayed in his past movie roles but he was very innocent and cutesy on set. (laugh) Choi has a face which I wish I had in my 20s. I liked him because he had an innocent face which I would have wanted if I was in my 20s.

Kim: I think I was cast for the role because they wanted me to do a good job of playing the role of the oldest guy on set. (laugh) Kwon's character is simple-minded and has a hot temper which is similar to his actual personality. Cha's unique energy and charisma blended into the film and I think Choi will be showing a completely new side to him through his role. I know why each person was cast for the movie but I think I myself was cast to keep them from fighting and put them in a good mood when it gets too cold on set. (laugh) I realize after watching the movie that I'm glad I decided to go with the flow and join the cast.

Kwon: I felt comfortable and it was nice because we were all guys. It felt like we were on a boy scout trip from back in our school days. They're my seniors that I like so much that just the fact that I was working on a production with them was comforting. I had been wondering who would take on the role of Oh Jang-beom, and wished I could play it, so when I found out Choi would be Oh, I became so envious of him for the fact that he would get to play such a great role with great actors. Being able to take on the main character under such great circumstances when he's just in his 20s means that he has been given that much of an opportunity to take his first step much quicker. Everything was perfect about the filming except for the cold. (laugh) Everyone worked very hard and I'm personally expecting the film to attract about 10 million admissions. (laugh)

Choi: It's been an honor for me to even just take part in this movie and I had fun everyday on set, as if I was at a playground for learning. Everything I heard from my senior actors and the director has been a lesson for me. If I showed any signs of being tired or having trouble, they would pat me on the back, as well as managing to cheer me up every time. "Into Fire" has been a chance for me to mature.

Lee Jae-han [Lee Jin-hyuk/10Asia]

Q: Choi, are you not worried about your image becoming solidified as one that is masculine? You played a sniper in drama "Iris" and now a soldier in "Into Fire."

Choi: I think I'll be showing a completely different image from Vick in "Iris." My character Oh Jang-beom isn't taciturn -- he's very innocent and child-like. What I focused most on too was to pull out an image from within me that the public has never seen before. That's why I lived the past six months thinking that I'm a 17-year-old boy. (laugh)

Q: What is a scene you would recommend from "Into Fire"?

Kim: I like each and every scene because you can see how hard we worked, but what I remember the most is when Choi parts with his mother -- I was saddened. I think such moments will move the hearts of the audience much more.

Choi: The entire two hours of the film was amazing. So I wish I could tell you about all two hours of it. Each and every scene is perfect and I will dare say that all two hours of it is a scene you don't want to miss.

Kwon: I think the ending scene will be the most touching.

Cha: The core of the drama in film "Into Fire" is the story of 71 student soldiers. I think the best scene is in the end when these inexperienced and immature guys, who have no choice but to fight in the war, battle with North Korea's elite troop.

From top down, actors Kwon Sang-woo and Kim Seung-woo pose during a photo session of a press conference for film "Into Fire" held at Imperial Palace Hotel in Seoul, South Korea on May 10, 2010.

Kwon Sang-woo [Lee Jin-hyuk/10Asia]

Kim Seung-woo [Lee Jin-hyuk/10Asia]

From top down, singer and actor T.O.P (Choi Seung-hyun) and Cha Seung-won pose during a photo session of a press conference for film "Into Fire" held at Imperial Palace Hotel in Seoul, South Korea on May 10, 2010.

Choi Seung-hyun (T.O.P) [Lee Jin-hyuk/10Asia]

Cha Seung-won [Lee Jin-hyuk/10Asia]

Stars pose at a press event for their new film "Into the Fire" in Seoul on Monday. From left, Kim Seung-woo, Choi Seung-hyun, Kwon Sang-woo and Cha Seung-won

Credits: englishnews@chosun.com

rubie · May 12, 2010

May 12, 2010

Korean book featuring Lee Jun-ki stirring Asia

Reporter.Kang Seung-hun Editor.Lynn Kim

Hallyu star Lee Jun-ki [JG Company]

An upcoming Korean language learning book featuring Hallyu star Lee Jun-ki is already causing stir among his fans in Southeast Asian countries.

The book, titled "Hello~ Korean," was written by two authors and features the Korean actor who participated from the early planning stages, offering his ideas and lending his famous voice free of charge for its narration. "We are receiving an enormous amount of phone calls and emails asking about the book ever since news got out that Lee Jun-ki had taken part in it," an official at publisher Mari Books was quoted as saying.

The official explained that while a majority of inquires are from fans and publishing companies in Asia including Japan, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Malaysia, several colleges and language schools in the region are said to be asking about using the book for their Korean classes as well.

The traditional language learning textbook will be available in four languages -- Korean, English, Japanese and Chinese.

"Hello~ Korean" will be taking advance orders at online bookstore Yes24 starting this Friday and available at offline bookstores from May 26.

Lee, 28, became a household name throughout Asia after playing a woman-like clown in the 2005 hit film "The King and the Clown" and starred in many notable television dramas including "My Girl" (SBS, 2005), "Time Between Dog And Wolf" (MBC, 2007), "Iljimae" (SBS, 2008)" and most recently "Hero" (MBC, 2009). Last week, he joined the Korean army as part of fulfilling the country's mandatory two-year military duties and is currently receiving basic training at Nonsan military camp.

Korean language learning book featuring actor Lee Jun-ki

rubie · May 12, 2010

May 12, 2010

On the set of TV series "Sister of Cinderella"

Reporter.Choi Ji-Eun Photographer.Lee Jin-hyuk Editor.Jang Kyung-Jin, Lynn Kim

The cast of KBS TV series "Sister of Cinderella" [photographed by Lee Jin-hyuk/10Asia]

"We are going to wrap up with a kiss," cried out director Kim Young-jo of KBS TV series "Sister of Cinderella." One would have thought that it was the long-awaited and much-anticipated kiss between the show's main female and male character, but it was actually the charming Hyo-seon (played by Seo Woo) planting a thank-you kiss on a servant grandmother and a maiden for giving her vegetables without her mother knowing about it. The scene will later air in the twelfth episode. The shooting started early in the morning on an incredibly sunny Children's Day [May 5 - National holiday] and attracted huge crowds of families, who were visiting a nearby amusement park and flocked around the surrounding roads near the shooting location.

In the story, actresses Lee Mi-sook and Seo Woo play a mother and daughter who are in a love-and-hate relationship and get into physical fights. But when the director yells the "okay" sign, the two burst into laughter and exchange jokes while rehearsing their lines together. Moon Geun-young, who arrived on the set after finishing a different shoot elsewhere, greets everyone -- friends and strangers alike -- with a cheerful hello while actor Chun Jung-myung, who came in panting after being stuck in a deadly traffic jam, is busy shaving in the other side of the room. The set looks almost like a photo spread. The four above-mentioned stars and 2PM member-turned-actor Taecyeon, who dropped by the set although he finished shooting his scenes, use the short break to sit around and start filming a video interview together. It is certainly a delightful experience to see all five actors from a distance of less than a meter away -- Lee Mi-sook exudes a certain authority about her, Moon Geun-young appears fair and square, Seo Woo seems charming, Chun Jung-myung a little foolish and Taecyeon acts shy unlike his personality seen on variety shows. The fact that Children's Day was almost over when we returned to Seoul after the shoot ended.. well, we will just forget about that.

Reporter : Choi Ji-Eun five@ Photographer : Lee Jin-hyuk eleven@ Editor : Lynn Kim lynn2878@, Jang Kyung-Jin three@

Actress Moon Geun-young makes a funny face on the open set of KBS TV series "Sister of Cinderella" in the city of Pocheon of Gyeonggi Province, South Korea on May 5, 2010.

From left, actors Moon Geun-young and Chun Jung-myung act out a scene for KBS TV series "Sister of Cinderella" on the show's open set in the city of Pocheon of Gyeonggi Province, South Korea on May 5, 2010.

Actor Chun Jung-myung gets his wardrobe fixed for KBS TV series "Sister of Cinderella" on its open set in the city of Pocheon of Gyeonggi Province, South Korea on May 5, 2010.

From left, actors Taecyeon and Chun Jung-myung sit side-by-side during an interview on the open set of KBS TV series "Sister of Cinderella" in the city of Pocheon of Gyeonggi Province, South Korea on May 5, 2010.

From left, actresses Seo Woo and Lee Mi-sook rehearse their lines for KBS TV series "Sister of Cinderella" on the show's open set in the city of Pocheon of Gyeonggi Province, South Korea on May 5, 2010.

Actress Lee Mi-sook practices her lines for KBS TV series "Sister of Cinderella" on the show's open set in the city of Pocheon of Gyeonggi Province, South Korea on May 5, 2010.

Singer and actor Taecyeon memorizes his lines for KBS TV series "Sister of Cinderella" on its open set in the city of Pocheon of Gyeonggi Province, South Korea on May 5, 2010.

From left, actors Lee Mi-sook and Taecyeon talk in front of the camera on the open set of KBS TV series "Sister of Cinderella" in the city of Pocheon of Gyeonggi Province, South Korea on May 5, 2010.

rubie · May 12, 2010

May 12, 2010

Japanese Writer: ‘Young Woong Jaejoong Will Become Successful Actor’

A Japanese drama writer praised Korean actor Young Woong Jaejoong, who is now acting in the Japanese TV drama "I Can't Be Honest."

According to a person at Image Factory, which is an importer of the movie “Halfway,” Kitagawa Eriko, who is a writer for the drama “I Can’t Be Honest,” sent a letter to the film company saying, “I strongly believe that Young Woong Jaejoong will establish his foundation as an actor by appearing in the drama ‘I Can’t Be Honest.’”

Kitagawa is a famous writer as she has written successful dramas including “I Can’t Be Honest” and “One Million Stars Falling from the Sky,” and she also debuted as a movie director with “Halfway,” which was released in Korea last month. Kitagawa continued to say in the letter, “Jaejoong is transcending national boundaries by acting in the Japanese drama 'I Can’t Be Honest.' I am enjoying working with him.”

The drama “I Can’t Be Honest” began airing from April 15 on Fuji TV and it portrays stories of love and friendship between a man and a woman who became friends through Twitter. Young Woong Jaejoong is playing a Korean man who works at a medical instrument company in Tokyo and he appears in the drama together with star Japanese actors including Ueno Juri, Nagayama Eita, and Tamayama Tetsuji.

The Movie “Halfway,” which was released on April 29 in Korea, tells stories of teenagers utilizing beautiful scenes and the director, Iwai Shunji--who made “Love Letter”--produced the movie.

Source: KBS Global

rubie · May 12, 2010

May 12, 2010

Ryu Si-won posts rehearsal pics for Japan tour

Reporter.Lynn Kim Editor.Jessica Kim

Hallyu star Ryu Si-won's photos posted on his Cyworld mini-hompy [Cyword]

Hallyu star Ryu Si-won has posted up photographs of himself rehearsing for his current Japan tour on his Cyworld mini-hompy (http://www.cyworld.com/jolla106).

The singer and actor over the weekend put up a collection of recent pictures taken during rehearsals for his "2010 JAPAN LIVE - FUN & FAN" tour, which kicked off at Yokosuka Art Theater on Monday. "It is hard practicing the choreography," the Korean star wrote on his post. "But it feels good to sweat a lot for the first time in a long time."

Ryu was seen hard at work in the photos, practicing his singing with the band as well as going over the dance steps with the dance crew. He also put up a picture of himself and his team of dancers who all went out for dinner after finishing their final rehearsal, assuring fans, "We will show you a fantastic performance that we have been practicing for two months." His fans, a majority of whom were Japanese, left responses underneath the photos, encouraging and supporting the singer for the upcoming concerts.

Ryu, 38, made his debut in 1994, starring in various dramas including "Secret" (2000, MBC), "Beautiful Days" (2001, SBS) and most recently "Style" (2009, SBS).

He has led a particularly successful career in Japan since debuting in the country six years ago, releasing 17 albums and holding five concert tours to date. His latest full-length album, which includes a famous Japanese rock tune called "Garden of Love," was released on April 7.

The tour will continue onto various major cities including Saitama, Nagoya, Fukuoka, Osaka, Kobe and Tokyo until July 1.

rubie · May 12, 2010

May 12, 2010

Song Seung-heon to star in Asian version of "Ghost"

Reporter.Lim Hye-seon Editor.Lynn Kim

Hallyu star Song Seung-heon [storm S Company]

Hallyu star Song Seung-heon will be making his big screen debut in Japan through an Asian remake of U.S. hit film "Ghost," according to the actor's agency on Wednesday.

An official at Storm S Company said in a phone call with Asia Economic Daily that the Korean actor has been cast as the male lead which had been taken on by the late Hollywood actor Patrick Swayze in the legendary 1990 movie.

The official added that the actor is "leaving for Japan next month" to shoot the pic, which will be released in the country this fall. In the remake, to be directed by noted filmmaker Otani Taro, Japanese actress Matsushima Nanako will reprise the role originally played by Demi Moore, playing the live-in girlfriend of Song's character who gets murdered by his best friend.

Song, 33, rose to stardom after appearing in the popular sitcom "Three Guys and Three Girls" (MBC, 1996) and has since starred in many television dramas and films including the smash hits "Autumn Tale" (KBS2, 2000), "Summer Scent" (KBS2, 2003) and "East of Eden" (MBC, 2008).

The heartthrob actor will be making a comeback to the small screen in Korea later this year as he recently signed on to star in the new TV series "My Princess" opposite top Korean actress Kim Tae-hee. He is currently in shooting for a film tentatively titled "The Invincible," a Korean remake of the Hong Kong classic "A Better Tomorrow."

'Ghost' gets Japanese remake

Production casts Japanese, Korean players in starring roles

By Gavin J. Blair

TOKYO -- “Ghost” is to get a Japanese remake with Nanako Matsushima and Korean actor Seung-heon Song taking the Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze roles, respectively.

Stalwart NTV television director Taro Otani will be behind the camera when filming starts in June, nearly 20 years after the original was released.

Productions duties will be handled by Takashige Ichise, who worked on both the originals and Hollywood remakes of the “Ring” and “The Grudge” series. Ichise has been bridging the Tokyo-Hollywood gap as far back as 1993’s “American Yakuza,” which he wrote and executive produced. He was also involved in the Hollywood version of “Shutter” -- shot in Tokyo but based on a Thai movie.

The two leads are both models turned actors; Matsushima starred in two of the “Ring” films as well as two series of “Hana Yori Dango” (“Boys over Flowers”), while Song has graced hit Korean dramas like “East of Eden” and “Autumn Fairy Tale.”

The remade “Ghost” is slated for an autumn release by Paramount and Shochiku.

Source: hollywoodreporter.com

rubie · May 12, 2010

May 12, 2010

Super Junior to sing theme song for new film

Reporter.Lucia Hong Editor.Jessica Kim

Official poster of the movie "꿈은 이루어진다" [CJ Entertainment]

Members of Korean idol group Super Junior will be singing the main theme song for upcoming sports film tentatively titled "Dreams Come True," according to its producer on Wednesday.

CJ Entertainment stated in a press release that Super Junior members Shindong, Leeteuk, Eunhyuk, Yesung and Sungmin had prepared the song since its planning stages a year ago. "The fresh and vibrant image these Super Junior members give off due to their various activities on variety programs, radio shows and musicals, goes well with the title song and theme of the movie," a representative from CJ was quoted as saying.

"Dreams," starring Korean actors Lee Sung-jae, Kang Sung-jin, Yoo Tae-woong and Lee Sun-ho, is about how North Korean and South Korean soldiers near the demilitarized zone separating the two countries come together for their love of soccer. The movie, a comical drama helmed by Kye Yoon-shik, is set to premiere on May 27 in Korea.

Super Junior is known as one of the biggest K-pop groups in Asia with several hit singles including "Sorry, Sorry," "It's You," Rukkugo," and "Full of Happiness." They are set to return to the local music scene with their fourth full-length album "BONAMANA" at the end of the week.

Kim Hyun-joong, Back On the Small Screen?

There has been much speculation over what Kim Hyun-joong, singer and leader of group SS501, will be doing when his contract with DSP Entertainment comes to an end this upcoming June 8th. Though related parties have kept tight-lipped over the matter, recent reports on the May 12th are hinting at a possible future project for Kim: a not-so-small-project on the small screen.

The production company behind what's currently one of the most anticipated dramas, "Athena: Goddess of War" (a spinoff from the hit drama "IRIS"), has spoken out indicating their interest in Kim Hyun-joong as a cast member on the show. They said that although there's no current openings fitting for Kim, they'd be willing to create a new character -- such as an national intelligence agent -- just to have him on board. Kim Hyun-joong has also reportedly shown interest, especially because he wants to tackle a more manly, action role different from that his gentle, pretty boy character from the drama "Boys Over Flowers".?

Well, if both parties are interested, what's the problem? The problem is Kim's ending contract with DSP Entertainment. His ability to join the cast for "Athena" would depend on his final decision on whether he stays with DSP, renewing his contract, or whether he leaves for another entertainment company. If matters aren't sorted out soon, Kim may miss this particular opportunity being that the drama starts shooting mid-June to start airing at the end of this year. Taewon Entertainment even said that they may be forced to opt for another similar idol group member to take Kim's place.

Source: KBS Gloabl

rubie · May 12, 2010

May 13, 2010

Early arrival for Jang-Ko baby?

Celebrity couple Jang Dong-gun and Ko So-young, who returned from their honeymoon to Bali on May 8, could become parents earlier than expected. According to an article in the newspaper Ilgan Sports on May 11, Ko is expected to give birth in mid-October, not in November as previously announced.

The newspaper reported that calculations of the November due date were based on a press release dated March 22 that was released by Jang’s management company, AM Entertainment. The press release said that Ko was in her third month of her pregnancy.

The newspaper says, however, that Ko is now about five months into the pregnancy and that both mother and fetus are healthy. The couple was married on May 2 in Seoul.

Source: joongangdaily.joins.com

rubie · May 13, 2010

May 13, 2010

Actress Shin Se-kyung attends a promotional event for a mobile phone company in Seoul on Wednesday. /Newsis

Source: englishnews@chosun.com

rubie · May 13, 2010

May 13, 2010

"Housemaid", "Poetry" heating up Cannes Film Festival

Reporter.Ko Kyoung-seok Editor.Lynn Kim

Movie posters for "Poetry" and "Housemaid" [uni-korea / Sidus F&H]

Korean films "The Housemaid" and "Poetry" are receiving heaps of attention from foreign movie buyers at the 63rd Cannes Film Festival, according to their sales executives on Wednesday (France time).

Officials in charge of overseas sales for the two pics explained that many foreign distributors are interested in buying "Housemaid" and "Poetry" and some are even close to signing contracts. "The film festival hasn't started yet so we haven't yet exchanged offers in detail," a source related to "Housemaid" was quoted as saying. "But we are expecting to receive many more offers after the screening."

A representative for "Poetry" also said that he predicts a number of overseas sales offers to come their way since it was helmed by noted filmmaker Lee Chang-dong. The 55-year-old director gained international acclaim particularly after his previous film "Secret Sunshine" won the best actress award at Cannes in 2007.

"Poetry," which will be released in France in August, stars veteran Korean actress Yoon Jeong-hee as an elderly woman who learns how to write her own poems while fighting Alzheimer's.

Erotic thriller "Housemaid" is a remake of a Korean classic film by the late Korean director Kim Ki-young, whose works are legendary enough to be introduced in the Cannes Classics section. The modern adaptation, directed by Im Sang-soo, boasts an A-list line up including Cannes' best actress winner Jeon Do-youn.

The directors and lead actors for the two pics, both in competition this year, are reportedly getting interview requests from numerous foreign media outlets.

The film festival will run from May 12 thru 23.

Jeon Do-youn and co-stars leave for Cannes today

Reporter.Ko Kyoung-seok Editor.Lynn Kim

From left, "The Housemaid" cast Lee Jung-jae, Seo Woo, Yoon Yeo-jung, Jeon Do-youn

and director Im Sang-soo pose during a press screening held at the COEX Megabox Multiplex

theater in Seoul, South Korea on May 3, 2010. [Park Sung-ki/Asia Economic Daily]

Korean actress Jeon Do-youn, her co-stars in "Housemaid" and director Im Sang-soo have left for the Cannes Film Festival.

The four, who departed Thursday morning, will be arriving at Cannes in the afternoon (France time) and staying at the luxurious Hotel Martinez -- courtesy of the organizing committee for the director and lead actors in films invited to the "In Competition" category. Actress Seo Woo will be unable to attend the event having to fulfill the shooting schedule for her current hit KBS TV series "Sister of Cinderella."

The premiere screening of "Housemaid" is scheduled for today afternoon, at 4:30 p.m. (local time), while the official gala screening will be held the following day at 10:30 a.m. Interviews with the local press and other red carpet events are to be carried out on Friday. "Director Im Sang-soo and Jeon Do-youn are receiving many interview requests from media outlets on site," an official related to "Housemaid" told Asia Economic Daily.

Considered one of the most formidable actresses in Korea, Jeon gained international recognition three years ago when she was named best actress at Cannes for her lead role in the film "Secret Sunshine", directed by Lee Chang-dong. As Jeon returns to the film fest for the first time since her 2007 win, her former director Lee also got invited back this year for his new movie "Poetry," also in competition.

"Housemaid", co-starring actor Lee Jung-jae and veteran actress Yoon Yeo-jung, is a story about a young maid who comes to work for a wealthy couple and starts having an affair with the husband.

The film, a modern adaptation of an old Korean classic, opens in Korea today.

rubie · May 13, 2010

May 13, 2010

Finecut sells I Saw The Devil to France's ARP

By Liz Shackleton

The film is currently in production and scheduled for Korean release in summer

this year. Finecut is showing 12 minutes footage of the film here at Cannes

Seoul-based sales agent Finecut has scored a major pre-sale on Kim Jee-woon’s highly-anticipated thriller I Saw The Devil, which has gone to ARP for France.

Starring Lee Byung-hun (A Bittersweet Life) and Choi Min-sik (Old Boy), the film is a hide-and-seek revenge story played out between two men – one a psychopathic serial killer and the other a top secret agent whose fiancee has become one of the serial killers’ victims.

The film is currently in production and scheduled for Korean release in summer this year. Finecut is showing 12 minutes footage of the film here at Cannes. ARP previously released Kim’s last film, The Good, The Bad, The Weird, which premiered in an out of competition slot at Cannes in 2008. Kim’s credits also include The Foul King, A Tale Of Two Sisters and A Bittersweet Life, which also starred Lee Byung-hun.

Meanwhile, Finecut has also sold espionage action thriller IRIS: The Movie, also starring Lee, to Mirius Tuck for ex-Yugoslavia, while Ounie Lecomte’s A Brand New Life has gone to Golden Village for Singapore. Both deals are mop-up sales as the films were widely sold last year. A Brand New Life premiered in Cannes official selection in the special screenings section last year.

Finecut has also sealed a package deal with Taiwanese distributor Waysen International which has acquired Min Kyu-dong’s drama Antique, creature feature Chaw and horror film Blood Pledge.

Source: screendaily.com

rubie · May 13, 2010

May 13, 2010

Megabox COEX Celebrates 10th Anniversary

The COEX branch of cinema chain Megabox marks its 10th anniversary on Thursday. It opened in May 2000 as the largest multiplex cinema in Asia. While it still has 16 screens, seating capacity has shrunk slightly from 4,336 at the time of opening to 4,218 after facility repairs.

The cinema reached the milestone of 50 million total viewers in January, and set a world record of 32,617 moviegoers in one day on July 31, 2004. For the past decade it has been the leading local cinema in terms of viewer numbers.

To mark the anniversary it will screen from Friday seven Korean films that have been or will be featured at the Cannes Film Festival, including "The Housemaid," "Poetry," "Old Boy," and "The Host."

Source: englishnews@chosun.com

Cannes Festival kicks off

Korea solidifies its place in world cinema with films by two directors

Director Tim Burton, Jury president of the 63rd Cannes Film Festival, holds a film clapper

in Cannes May 11, 2010. The Cannes film festival, the world’s biggest, runs from May 12 to 23. [REUTERS]

CANNES - Action-packed adventure “Robin Hood” got the 2010 Cannes film festival under way on Wednesday (local time), kicking off 11 days of movie mayhem on the French Riviera.

A-listers Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett, who play Robin and Marion respectively in Ridley Scott’s re-working of the English legend, were on the red carpet for the opening evening gala. The Hollywood blockbuster is, however, one of relatively few U.S. titles at this year’s festival, reflecting a tough economic climate that has starved Cannes of some of its star power and provides an unsettling backdrop to the celebration of cinema.

“Maybe the main reason is the [financial] crisis, because cinema is an industry ... which needs a lot of money,” festival director Thierry Fremaux told Reuters in Cannes. “As we all know, everywhere in the world money is not something very easy to find and especially to make a film with. But I think also it’s a coincidence. Maybe next year we will have three, four, five American films.”

The sole U.S. title in the all-male, 19-strong competition is Doug Liman’s “Fair Game” starring Naomi Watts as Valerie Plame, the CIA agent whose cover was blown in 2003, and Sean Penn as her husband, Joseph Wilson. Oliver Stone and Woody Allen bring their latest films to the prestigious movie showcase but outside the competition.

Asian cinema features strongly in Cannes, which prides itself on promoting new talent and championing low-budget productions by obscure directors from around the world.

Asia is represented by films from Thailand, Japan, China and two from South Korea - Lee Chang-dong’s “Poetry” and Im Sang-soo’s “The Housemaid.” “When Korea came out in the festival years ago, we didn’t know if it was one shot or really a long trend and now we can say that Korea, or Asia but especially Korea, is a very strong country for cinema,” said Fremaux.

Giant posters advertising films and fashion were going up along the Croisette waterfront, hotels were filled with thousands of stars, journalists and executives heading to town and gleaming yachts were ready for hire in the harbour. Stone’s “Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps,” in which Michael Douglas reprises his 1987 role as ruthless corporate raider Gordon Gekko, will be among the most topical at the festival, focusing on corruption and greed at the world’s biggest banks.

Allen’s latest offering is “You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger,” and Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones is expected to appear for the documentary “Stones in Exile” about the recording of the band’s seminal album “Exile on Main Street.” Among the most eagerly anticipated titles are Fair Game and “Burnt by the Sun 2,” the sequel to Nikita Mikhalkov’s picture about the terror of Stalinist repression.

Mexican Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu’s “Biutiful” stars Oscar winner Javier Bardem and Briton Ken Loach was a last-minute addition to the main competition with “Route Irish.” Critics are generally excited by the 2010 lineup, although they wonder if it can live up to the buzz of last year which featured the acclaimed “The White Ribbon,” “A Prophet” and “Up,” and Lars Von Trier’s controversial, ultra-violent “Antichrist.”

Reuters via joongangdaily.joins.com

rubie · May 13, 2010

May 13, 2010

[iNTERVIEW] Actress Choi Song-hyun

Reporter.Choi Ji-Eun Editor.Jang Kyung-Jin, Lucia Hong Photographer.Lee Jin-hyuk

Korean actress Choi Song-hyun

[photographed by Lee Jin-hyuk/10Asia]

My name is Choi Song-hyun.

I was born on April 11, 1982. I have a jinx where bad things have happened on all my previous birthdays, but this year I was very happy because I celebrated my birthday on set with the staff and other cast members.

My family consists of my parents and my two older sisters. Sometimes my parents still call me 'baby' because I'm the youngest. (laugh) My oldest sister and I are five years apart and I'm two years apart with my other sister. They are both married and I have two nephews.

All five of my closest friends got married last year and I'm the only bachelorette. They all met good guys and are living happy lives, otherwise they would have called me up to badmouth their husbands. None of my friends have responded to me asking them to set me up with someone on a blind date. (laugh) I spend my weekends like my character in "Princess Prosecutor," staying home and sleeping in, watching TV or baby sitting my nephews.

The TV program that I like to watch is "1 Night 2 Days." I absolutely love the show. I laugh out loud whenever I'm watching the show and it has helped me to find my laughter after having been depressed for a while. I also love watching the reruns and even though I know what's going to happen it's exciting to see who will get caught during the games.

I frequently get asked who I like more between "Princess Prosecutor's" character Seo In-woo (played by Park Shi-hoo) or Yoon Se-joon (played by Han Jeong-su). I think I would like to date someone like Seo but there is something that draws me towards Yoon. However, the thing that I don't like about Seo is that he has a close girl friend like Jenny (played by Park Jeong-ah).

My co-star Han Jeong-su has an extremely cheerful personality. He is completely different from his character Yoon, but I think he became like that after he lost his wife.

I have actually seen a real autopsy before. As part of the training process to work as a producer or reporter at a broadcasting company, one has to observe an autopsy. I stayed until the very end even though there were many people whose faces turned yellow or left during the autopsy to throw up.

When I was still an announcer, I became most popular after appearing in KBS' "Happy Together.” The total number of visitors on my Cyworld mini-hompy rose to 300,000. I think it was to the extent that the producers for "Sang Sang Plus" got a bit disappointed about it.

When I was preparing for my role in the film "The Case of Itaewon Homicide," I had a lot of things in mind for my character and I would talk about how there were some things that I wasn't able to express properly in the movie. The director told me to watch a comedy film and to rest without thinking about anything. However, it was bit hard to empty my thoughts because I watched "Crush and Blush" that night. (laugh)

Korean singer Seotaiji is my first love. He made his debut on my birthday when I was in the fourth grade and my sisters and I were his biggest fans. I remember crying while I wrote in my journal how it was so sad that Seotaiji doesn't even know my name when he's the first guy I felt I was in love with at first sight. After I quit my announcer job I decided to emcee at the ETP Festival free of charge because I thought I would get the chance to talk with Seotaiji. (laugh) But I stayed in one location during the press conference because of a sudden schedule change. When the event was over I cried in the parking lot thinking dreams don't come true. I can't carry a tune and so I don't go to karaoke bars that often but when I do go with my close friends I usually sing Roo'Ra's "天上有愛" and Seotaiji's "Salute." I usually just shout because I can't sing in tune. I like to play the piano and once when I was listening to Isao Sasaki's album, I heard this beautiful string instrument playing in the background. I found out later it was the traditional Chinese instrument called 'erhu' which is a two-stringed fiddle. I had an erhu imported directly from China but I haven't had a chance to get any lessons because I've been so busy shooting the drama.

I would like to go to an award ceremony since I've decided to take on acting. I received the new star award under the emcee category at the KBS Entertainment Awards, so maybe it'll be possible to get the new star award at the Acting Awards? (laugh)

It might be because I haven't been through enough hardships yet but I would like to play a role in a historical drama. I want to try to play a role where I need to prepare very hard both mentally and physically. Or an action role where a lot of training is required.

I play the role of a producer from Busan in the movie tentatively titled "Midnight FM" which will premiere in July. Since I'm a native of Seoul, I practiced their dialect after listening to my lines from the recordings that my Busan acquaintances did for me, and before the audition, I learned how to act like I speak the dialect well even if I'm not exactly good at speaking it from my co-star Oh Jung-se from "The Case of Itaewon Homicide." I'm sure the director must have been worried about assigning the role to me and I too am worried how the film turned out. I will probably be too nervous to go on stage during the press conference at Busan. (laugh)

Announcer-turned-actress Choi Song-hyun poses during an interview with 10Asia.

Choi Song-hyun [Lee Jin-hyuk/10Asia]

rubie · May 13, 2010

May 13, 2010

Bae brings fresh Jeju air to screen

By Lee Hyo-won

Staff reporter

Veteran director Bae Chang-ho returns after a three-year hiatus with an omnibus film

"The Trip," which takes viewers to different corners of the scenic Jeju Island. / Courtesy of Sponge

Bae Chang-ho, who made a deep impression in 1980s Korean cinema with road movies such as "Whale Hunting," has returned to take viewers on another lasting journey. His comeback piece, appropriately titled "The Trip," is an omnibus film featuring three heartwarming stories about being on the road, including one that marks his first collaboration with his wife, actress Kim Yu-mi.

A joint venture by the Culture Ministry and Arirang TV to promote local tourism, the film captures the charms of Korea’s exotic Jeju Island. This is the veteran filmmaker’s first digitally shot film, and some of the scenes are slightly marred by the shortcomings of the medium such as awkward light/dark contrasts. However, the technical glitch is of little consequence for the camera focuses on character portrayal, and the beauty lies in the details and the smiles they inspire.

While the breathtaking backdrop provides for a lovely mise-en-scene, it is first and foremost about human drama, and seethes with an almost analogue, nostalgic picture book quality. It’s a small jewel of a film; however, its finely articulated, yet minute, yelp, is bound to be drowned out by towering summer blockbusters. Screenings are expected to be limited to small art house theaters and re-runs on cable television.

"The Trip" opens with two college students, Gyeong-mi (Park Ju-heui) and Jun-hyeong (Park Sang-gyu). The two set off to backpack across Jeju in search of inspiration to enter a photography competition. The outspoken and tomboyish Gyeong-mi tries to get everything her way, while sensitive guy Jun-hyeong struggles to persuade her otherwise. However, when Jun-hyeong announces that he will be drafted into mandatory military service soon, Gyeong-mi suddenly loses her appetite.

The director enables viewers to return to a time of innocence as they accompany the bickering duo through a trip where they ultimately arrive at a crossroads between friendship and romance. The second portion of the film zooms into local Jeju life. Fifteen-year-old Su-yeon (charmingly portrayed by an actual local student Kim Ji-eun) sorely feels the growing pains as she must deal with them on her own ― her father lives far away because of work, her "haenyeo" (Korean diving fisherwoman) grandmother is getting sick and frail, and schoolwork bores her.

She finds solace in daydreaming about mainland life, particularly Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, where her mother, who left the family when she was five, supposedly works. When summer break hits, Su-yeon decides to search for her mother, and is shocked to discover that she runs a manicure shop in Jeju. Indie screen queen Yang Eun-yong stars as the estranged mother, Yeong-ok, who, for her own reasons had left her family. However she never stopped caring for her daughter and spent the years collecting gifts for Su-yeon’s birthdays that she missed.

If the first two stories highlighted heart-fluttering excitement and longing that travel inspires, respectively, then the third looks into its more adventurous aspect. "It feels surreal. I feel like a new person here," mutters Eun-heui (Kim Yu-mi) upon arriving in the resort island. This middle-aged, middle-class housewife has taken off on an impulsive getaway from the daily grind (though not without the hotel discount coupon), to take a break from picking up after her unemployed husband and teenage daughter.

She casts off her title as a wife and mother, to be just herself. Eun-heui thus turns off her cell phone and sets out to stroll by the beach, sip coffee at an atmospheric café and savor the charms of Jeju.

In theaters May 20. Distributed by Sponge.

Credits: hyowlee@koreatimes.co.kr

rubie · May 13, 2010

May 13, 2010

Rain scores first nomination for MTV Movie Awards

Reporter.Lynn Kim Editor.Jessica Kim

Korean entertainer Rain [Asia Economic Daily]

Asian superstar Rain has become the first Korean celebrity to score a nomination for the MTV Movie Awards, according to his agency J. Tune Entertainment on Thursday.

J. Tune announced in a press release that the singer was named one of the five nominees in the "Biggest Badass Star" category alongside Hollywood heavyweights such as Angelina Jolie, Channing Tatum, Chris Pine and Sam Worthington.

The nominee line-up was selected by fans, who cast online votes on MTV's website to pick their favorite "badass" actor out of 22 potential nominees. Another round of fan voting will be carried out from May 13 to June 5 to select the final winner who will be announced at the awards ceremony on June 6 in Los Angeles.

Born Jung Ji-hoon, Rain has released six studio albums to date and performed at numerous concert tours throughout Asia and in the U.S. including a sold-out concert at Madison Square Garden. The singer was also applauded for his acting chops when he appeared in several TV dramas such as "Sang Doo! Let's Go To School" (KBS, 2003) and "Full House" (KBS, 2004) and in Park Chan-wook's surrealist pic "I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK."

In 2008, Rain made his Hollywood debut through a supporting role in the Wachowski Brothers' pic "Speed Racer." He reportedly made such a great impression on the famous sibling duo during the filming of "Racer" that they offered him the lead role in last year's martial arts flick "Ninja Assassin." Despite the film's negative reviews and box office failure in the U.S. and Korea, his top billing in the film brought the Korean star international recognition and stardom worldwide.

May 14, 2010

Rain Listed Among Final Nominees for ‘MTV Movie Awards’

World star Rain has been included in the final list of nominees for the “Biggest Badass Star” category of the 2010 MTV Movie Awards that will be held in the US on June 6.

MTV’s spokesperson said on May 13 that Rain, who appeared in the Hollywood movie “Ninja Assassin,” was chosen as one of the final five nominees for “Biggest Badass Star” along with Angelina Jolie, Channing Tatum, Sam Worthington, and Chris Pine.

MTV Movie Awards will be given in a total of twelve categories and the nominees and the final winner will be decided on completely by viewer voting without additional input by a panel of judges. The viewer voting will be conducted until June 5, which is the day before the awards ceremony, on the event's official webpage (http://movieawards.mtv.com).

For this year’s awards, the movie “The Hangover” has been nominated in six categories, which makes it the movie nominated for the most number of awards, and “New Moon” and “Avatar“ have also been nominated in five categories each.

Source: KBS Global

rubie · May 13, 2010

May 13, 2010

So Ji-sub transforms in "Road No. 1" , says producer

Reporter.Wee Geun-woo Editor.Lee Ji-Hye, Jessica Kim

From left, producer Kim Jin-min, actors Yoon Kye-sang, Kim Ha-neul and So Ji-sub, and producer Lee Jang-soo

pose during a photo session of a press conference for upcoming MBC TV series "Road No.1" held at the drama's set

in the Chungcheong Province of South Korea on May 12, 2010. [MBC]

MBC TV series "Road No. 1" which is set to premiere June 23, has set out on a road which no other show has taken before. It is a full-fledged 20-episode war drama being produced in time with the 60th anniversary of the Korean War and went into shoot with the goal of completing production of the entire show before going on air, a decision made while in its planning stages from three years ago. The two actually do not go separately. It is a blockbuster aiming for good quality, and hence, decided to complete production in advance to avoid facing time constraints. But every new road taken is unfamiliar and difficult to take. That is why more than ever, we become more curious about the intentions and direction the producers want to take with the show. Below are excerpts from a press conference held at the drama's set in the Chungcheong Province where the show's producers Lee Jang-soo and Kim Jin-min sat down to talk about the process of making the show and walking a path never taken before.

Q: One element to the drama will be the Korean War while the other will be the romance between the three main characters. What is the proportion of each element in the show?

Lee Jang-soo: We had originally thought of making the show into a 10-part series so we were going to depict on the Korean War quite realistically but when it was decided it would be a 20-part show, we turned it into a melodrama with more dramatic elements. And we're trying to satisfy both the elements of war and love in the drama. I think you should consider it not being just about romance, but the story of the love and frienship amongst three men and women in times of a war. And at the same time, we're trying to also talk about the issues between North and South Korea, and on a broader sense, about the history of the division of the two Koreas.

Q: Then who was the producer for which element?

Lee: Whatever looks like must've been hard work was done by producer Kim Jin-min and whatever looks easy was shot by me. (laugh)

Kim Jin-min: Producer Lee Jang-soo set the direction for the romance and I mostly shot the scenes where the main characters hang between life and death. But the elements of war and romance have to stay in tune with each other in the overall plan set for the production. We couldn't let the war stand out so much that it would be hard for viewers to watch. What I rather focused more on was Jang-woo (played by So Ji-sub) and Tae-sub's (played by Yoon Kye-sang) friendship. They're close to loving each other. It could sound weird but in the process of fighting so many wars, they develop a strong friendship and become close to brothers. That's what I mainly concentrated on.

Producer Lee Jang-soo speaks at a press conference

for upcoming MBC TV series "Road No.1" held at the drama's set

in the Chungcheong Province of South Korea on May 12, 2010. [MBC]

Q: What is a friendship that's close to a love like?

Kim: The atmosphere on set became strange, hard to pin down in words. (laugh) But for men, doesn't friendship seem like a stronger emotion than love? It actually was hard trying to put that on screen in the beginning because the emotions weren't there but as more time passed, I realized how tremendously strong comradeship between two men could be. I felt that it could be an emotion one could carry on until the moment he dies.

Q: And that's why it was important who you cast for the two male roles. Why did you choose So Ji-sub and Yoon Kye-sang?

Lee: When we were in the early planning stages, I told Kim that we shouldn't do the drama if we ended up not being able to cast So Ji-sub. Kim really put in a lot of hard work for casting the actors. After we cast So Ji-sub for the role of Jang-woo, we tried really hard looking for someone to play Tae-ho. The image I had of Tae-ho was someone who has a strong image yet is a gentle person, and that's the vibe I got from Yoon Kye-sang. You'll be able to enjoy things such as an actor's transformations in our show to the fullest.

Q: Both actors have great bodies. Are there any scenes they show them off?

Kim: From the beginning, Lee and I said we can't have the main characters be muscular. The actors had asked seriously whether they have to get into shape but we said they shouldn't since we're not shooting "Rambo." Our show is about how average people living from a certain village get involved in a war, not about people in the special forces. It was necessary to realize that every character are normal people like us.

Lee: In the movie, there is a pond where the military unit had planted rice and then there's a big three that a man and woman had vowed their eternal love for each other. But when the war breaks out, a bomb explodes from under the tree and soldiers' faces plummet into the very rice seedlings they planted. In other words, this is a drama which tries to draw out sympathy by talking about a that is happening right where we're living

Q: Then are there no revealing scenes at all?

Kim: There is no reason to take off your uniform on the battlefield. You have to always be ready to hide or fight so even if it's in the summer, you have to wear at least an undershirt. But it'll be worth looking forward to the romantic scenes. I saw this and that. (laugh)

Q: You've been aiming to finish shooting the entire drama before it goes on air. How much have you shot so far?

Lee: We've completed about 80 percent of it.

Q: The first episode goes on air June 23. Do you think you'll be able to get done by then?

Lee: From the script to the filming, we've been trying to do everything according to plan so we went into shoot after having prepared this for three years. We promised the actors and staff that we would wrap up the shoot by June 13 and intend on keeping it. We're doing everything in our power to become an exemplary case.

Q: I bet it's not easy.

Lee: To start with, it's not easy having to juggle everyone's schedule. The actors, as well as ourselves, have been trying our best to match each other's schedules. From the production aspect, we had to show all four seasons of the year so we started by filming the 12th episode in our first shoot which started January 5. Coming into spring, we've been shooting the episodes covered during both spring and autumn, and recently we've been going back and forth between episodes 1 and 16. But it's not really a big problem because our actors know all their lines.

Q: Why is it so important that you finish everything in advance?

Lee: I wanted to prevent the script of such a big production changing over and over again while being shot. It has to be better for both the staff and actors to be completely aware of what will happen rather than going in an entirely unexpected direction. And it'll help the actors make a accurate judgement of whether they really want to do the show or not.

Producer Kim Jin-min attends a press conference

for upcoming MBC TV series "Road No.1" held at the drama's set

in the Chungcheong Province of South Korea on May 12, 2010. [MBC]

Q: There definitely are advantages to pre-production but the disadvantage is that you can't communicate with the viewers.

Lee: Well, is it right to change the direction of the drama just because it's what the viewers want? Most certainly, the viewers own whatever goes on air but Korean dramas will never improve if you can't shoot dramas in advance because you're fearful of viewers' response. I wanted to break free from the practice of producing dramas without having a specific plan or going with the flow, and instead do a production where everything was given for the script and everyone moved according to schedule. Plus, that's what had to be done for this production.

Q: When you say 'that's what had to be done for this production,' is it because it's a blockbuster production?

Lee: We need to think about what exactly 'producing' is about. Does it mean you're done producing if you manage to tell a story? If you shot the third episode for a drama in the week that the first two episodes were going out, all you would get to shoot are just the actors faces. Would you call that production? "Road No.1" isn't a drama that can be shot like that. There is a huge amount of post-production work to do, such as for sound or the computer graphics. We're actually only done halfway if we've finished shooting. I regard production as completing everything, up to post-production work. Look at foreign dramas. The quality is guaranteed only when a show has time left for post-production.

Q: You said the quality of "Road No. 1" will be unlike that of any other Korean drama shown so far but people's standards are set to those of American dramas like "Band of Brothers." There are also a lot of military manias who are strict about historical evidence.

Lee: First of all, this is an issue of money. You can't compare the production cost that goes into making a show like "Band of Brothers" versus the cost for ours. For example, the T-34 was the main model of tank used during the Korean War. We needed at least ten of them but we were only able to make one. And that too cost a whopping sum of money. We placed that in the front and tanks from the Defense Ministry in the back, so I'm sure there'll be people pointing that out. And the staff in charge of props are young so they may think that the military equipment that was used before they were born are all the same. But the equipment used in the 50s, 60s and 70s are all different. So we may lack in that sense too. We also purposely avoided being too realistic. For example, on the uniforms we could've hung unit badges that soldiers wore on their military suits but we replaced it with the Korean flag because we thought it could make it tough for those who experienced the war to watch. But there'll be a lot of people who point that out too. Despite all that, we'll do the best we can. Though we know we have our limits.

Kim: I believe that our drama should be one that can heal many people with love. The war was so awful that no matter how realistically we show it, it doesn't erase the feelings of sorrow and resentment. I don't know how this may sound but I'm hoping the romance doesn't get covered by the war scenes. It'll be up to the viewers to judge whether the war scenes are of high quality.

Q: The fact that there is so much curiosity surrounding the quality of the show proves how much expectation there is toward it. As the producer of "Road No. 1," how well are you hoping it will do?

Lee: Of course I want it to score high ratings. I'm hoping it'll pass the 40 percent mark. I think our actors too will see good results at year-end awards ceremonies.

rubie · May 13, 2010

May 13, 2010

Kim Ha-neul says "first time receiving such a moving script"

Reporter.Wee Geun-woo Editor.Lee Ji-Hye, Lucia Hong

Cast members of MBC's "Road No. 1" left to right: Yoon Kye-sang, Kim Ha-neul and So Ji-sub [MBC]

'The promise of friendship and love that is fulfilled 60 years later' is the main copy for upcoming MBC series "Road No. 1" which is set to air on June 23. The drama shows the the turbulent times of the Korean War, but its story revolves around the three main characters Jang-woo (played by So Ji-sub), Soo-yeon (played by Kim Ha-neul) and Tae-ho (played by Yoon Kye-sang) who experience love and friendship during the chaos of the war. The audience is probably expecting more from the three actors since the star-studded cast is already bringing enough attention to the drama. Will the stars be able to pull off the roles of ordinary characters Jang-woo, So-yeon and Tae-ho who are faced with the war? Below are the excerpts from the press conference attended by actors So Ji-sub, Kim Ha-neul and Yoon Kye-sang.

10: The faces of the male actors have gotten very tanned -- it shows that you were faced with many hardships. Both of you look rugged as well.

So Ji-sub (So): I have gotten very tanned and also have heavy makeup on. I lost three kilograms and some of my muscles too because unlike in other productions, I can't have the image of being in shape.

Yoon Kye-sang (Yoon): I play the role of an elite military officer, who among his troops, gets hit by the most grenades because he has to fail in order for Jang-woo to rise in the ranks. There are many scenes where I fall and I think a lot of them will turn out well from seeing how rough my hands have gotten.

Korean actors So Ji-sub (left) and Yoon Kye-sang (right) at the press conference for "Road No. 1' [MBC]

10: It must have been dangerous.

Yoon: There were many dangerous scenes but I worked hard while in shoot because the director said it looked 'cool.' (laugh) I wasn't worried even a bit despite the scenes being difficult because I knew the director did a great job shooting each scene.

10: You may not have had as hard of a time as the two male actors in the physical sense but I bet as an actress, it isn't easy to let go of the visual aspect of how you're seen to the audience.

Kim Ha-neul (Kim): I have never felt burdened by that at all. I think the biggest concern as an actor is how to do well in expressing a character that I really like. What was most important was how I understood my character Soo-yeon and act it out. That doesn't mean that I don't think about how I look but the producer said that the drama would fail the harder I try to look pretty. (laugh)

10: What were your reasons in choosing this particularly difficult production?

Yoon: I read the whole script from part one to part 20 without stopping for ten hours straight when I first received it. I felt that if they made the drama exactly like the script, it would become a memorable production for the audience and it was really fun as well. I couldn't help taking it on because I liked the drama itself so much more than my character.

Kim: This was the first time I have received a script that is fun and moving even though I have shot over 20 movies and dramas in total. I don't think it's important that the role of my character Soo-yeon is small compared to my roles in the past. I took on the challenge of playing the role of Soo-yeon because I felt that she was someone with big presence. I had my doubts, wondering whether I would be able to pull off a character that felt like my mother and my home, as opposed to in the past when I felt I could play whatever role I decide to take on. That's why I had a hard time.

So: I think luck was on my side since I was able to star in this drama. People say I choose productions that are difficult but it's not fun to play the handsome guy wearing a suit. I like roles that allow me to get physical. Maybe I'll pick a difficult production for my next role again.

10: Since you have finished shooting over 80 percent of the drama, are there any memorable scenes or episodes that come to mind?

So: I remember every scene, not just one. I recommend the viewers to watch it from the beginning to end because it's hard to say exactly when to start watching.

Kim: I agree with So. The scenes containing my character are very strong, even if I may not have as big as a role compared to my past characters. Some scenes are usually edited out after they're shot but most of my scenes won't be cut. Not only are they scenes which have impact but they're also necessary for the flow of the story.

Yoon: Honestly, I can't remember a thing. When we shoot the war scenes, I just think about how to get about, as if I was in an actual war situation, thinking about how I should avoid the enemy and on focusing on Jang-woo when I see him.

Korean actress Kim Ha-neul at the press conference for "Road No. 1" [MBC]

10: Kim Ha-neul, what are the strong scenes that you just mentioned?

Kim: I have never shot a melodrama as if it's an action scene. I would end up with bruises on my body after the scenes because that's how full of energy I was when shooting it.

So: We really did shoot the romantic scenes as if in war. I think you may get to see something you have never seen before. I myself was surprised while shooting them.

Kim: I wonder if the show will meet the censorship criteria. (laugh)

10: It must've not been easing being an actress who usually does not shoot revealing scenes. What made you do it?

Kim: First of all, I trusted the director and like I already said, the situation wasn't forced at all and it was a much needed scene for the drama. I don't think it's right to bare your skin if it makes me think 'Why do I have to?' but it's understandable in our drama.

So: When you watch the drama, it'll seem more beautiful than risque.

10: You would have to become close with your co-stars in order to play the role of someone who falls in love with both actors -- So with whom you modeled for fashion brand Storm and with Yoon you had filmed the movie "Lovers of Six Years."

Kim: Yoon and I already been for quite a while since we had shot the movie together. We would joke around and make fun of each other on set. Sometimes he would provoke me. (laugh) I think that is why it felt comfortable while we were shooting. But this was the first I had seen So since 1997. We didn't really talk that much at the time because we were both introverted and it wasn't that long after we made our debuts.

So: I think we had only met about a total two to three times.

Kim: We had to have good chemistry quickly because in the drama, we are two people who are deeply in love with each other. Sp we worked really hard at it and were able to complete the shoots successfully.

10: Did you try to meet outside the set to become closer? For example, go to drink?

So: We never went drinking together. We had such a tight schedule, where we would come on set on Monday and go home on Saturday.

Kim: We became closer after shooting the love scenes.

So: I think we'll make many headlines today. (laugh)

rubie · May 13, 2010

May 14, 2010

[interview] Leading lady back in the limelight

Yoon Jung-hee

Yoon Jung-hee is one of three actresses, along with Nam Jeong-hee and Moon Hee, who came to represent film in Korea in the ’60s, much as Grace Kelly, Ingrid Bergman and Elizabeth Taylor were the stars of their generation in Hollywood. But she has been absent from the screen for 16 years, meaning that only die-hard fans of classic Korean film will remember her name now.

This year Yoon returns to film with a starring role in the movie “Poetry” by Korean director Lee Chang-dong. The film competes for top honors at the 63rd Cannes Film Festival this month. Lee’s film “Secret Sunshine” (2007) was also screened at Cannes, and its female star Jeon Do-youn was the first Korean woman to win the best actress award at the international festival. “I’ve had many offers to reappear on screen but I was waiting for the right script and director,” Yoon said. “When Lee asked me and my husband out to dinner two years ago, he said he was planning a movie and wanted to work with me. I didn’t know the storyline but accepted his offer right away because he’s a reliable director.”

Yoon, 66, made her debut in 1967 with the movie, “Cheongchun Geukjang,” which means Cinema for Young People, and immediately became a sensation. After seven years of living the glamorous life of an actress, she married pianist Paik Kun-woo in 1976. The two now live in France. She has occasionally returned to Korea to make films, and her last appearance before Poetry was in “Manmubang” in 1994.

The movie Poetry is about a 60-year-old woman named Mi-ja who decides to take a poetry class and immerses herself in writing. Oddly enough, Mi-ja is Yoon’s real name. Lee said he decided to name the character after Yoon as a way to show his respect for a woman he regards as one of Korea’s representative actresses. “The first scene that I filmed was of Mi-ja looking up at a tree,” says Yoon. “It wasn’t too difficult to get into character, but the question of how to express Mi-ja had been a question I asked repeatedly until the very end of the filming.”

Yoon said that the film industry is quite different now than it was in the past. When she was starting out, actors’ and actress’ voices were dubbed into the films. “In my day, there was no such thing as ‘monitoring,’” says Yoon. “Being able to observe your acting on a small monitor right after a shoot really helped me improve.”

Her efforts have paid off. She is now on her way to Cannes.“I’m very happy to be able to stand on a red carpet again,” she said. “Especially with a director in whom I have such confidence.” With all of these developments, one wonders what she will do next. “I have spent all my energy on Poetry and I am planning to rest for awhile,” Yoon said. “But if Lee asked, I would be willing to go as far as the Sahara Desert anytime.”

Poetry opened in theaters nationwide yesterday.

Who is Yoon Jung-hee?

Yoon Jung-hee

Actress Yoon Jung-hee was the reigning beauty of the Korean cinema from the late ’60s to the late ’80s. She made her debut with a starring role in 1967 in the film “Cheongchun Geukjang,” beating 1,200 other hopefuls for the job. Later, Yoon became a fashion icon, wearing berets, miniskirts and bell-bottoms.

She was also a muse for numerous directors. She starred in a total of 330 films in her heyday and played the leading role in all but five of the films. Over the years, she has been honored with 25 best actress awards. “I once shot three films a day back in the ’70s,” Yoon said recently on a local TV program.

Yoon shocked the film industry when she suddenly decided to head to Paris to study in 1973. That’s where she met her husband, acclaimed pianist Paik Kun-woo, and the two married in 1976. During that time, Yoon continued to make films on a regular basis, but the 1994 war film “Manmubang” was her last work prior to her re-emergence with “Poetry.”

She has said that it was the prospect of working with director Lee Chang-dong that enticed her to return to film.

By Kim Yeon-ji [estyle@joongang.co.kr] l joongangdaily.joins.com

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